And let's not forget how hard it is to security strip the great new
format. Oh you can strip the binder, but that doesn't protect the
contents. So what are we to do -- stop circulating everything in the
"great new format"? What I want to do is make circulation more flexible,
not less flexible. What does it take to make publishers realize that for
at least 90% of titles in some type of binder format, binder formats are
totally inappropriate for libraries? I've been switching to publishers
and different titles still available in hardbound format whenever
possible. I've been voting with my dollars. But how am I to express my
vote in dollars when no vendors are left who give me a hardbound option
in any particular subject?
Mary Brandt Jensen University of Mississippi
Director of the Law Library University, MS 38677
Assistant Professor of Law mjensen@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu
On Thu, 4 Jan 1996, KATHY CARLSON wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I have been wanting to make a comment about CBC & prices
> for the last couple of weeks and now seems to be the
> perfect opportunity. [My staff will tell you I have been
> wandering around muttering under my breath for the last
> month about prices]. The steepness of the Couch bill, I
> assume is paritially due to the fact that they updated the
> whole set--when filed we noticed that the set had been
> updated in June 1995. When did CBC (and others) get
> the idea that *every* treatise needed to be updated
> multiple times in a year? Some of CBC's were actually
> supplemented 4 TIMES (McCarthy on Trademark)
> I'll use McCarthy as an extreme example--the newest
> edition was released in December 1992--updated once
> in 1993, twice in 1994, and 4 times in 1995. Literally, the
> effect is that it has more than quadrupled in price since 1992.
> Many others have moved from one to two supplements
> (net effect a more than doubling in price). We made
> complaints about Little, Brown doubling their prices--to be
> consistant, we need to be concerned about this trend of
> multiple supplementations because the net effect on budgets
> is the same. And, with the "great" new format being used
> on so many titles, one cannot even skip a year or purchase
> only one release to meet budget constrictions and not totally
> lose a set's integrity. [And, it is questionable how long we
> will be able to purchase one release a year from WGL--we
> got a replacement edition in the "great" new format this
> morning].
>
> Like El Paso County, we are suffering a tight budget (as I
> assume many libraries are) and we have really been
> clobbered with CBC updates and new editions the last
> couple of months--and many of these have been the
> second (or higher) supplement we have received for each
> title. We are not budgeted to cover that high of a "price
> increase" and the result will be that we will be cutting
> quite a number of useful titles in order to keep those we
> *absolutely* have to maintain.
>
> There is no need for a response saying how useful it is
> for users to have "the most up to date" materials in each
> treatise--that is not the true purpose of a treatise. A treatise
> is a starting point--an overview-- for a topic. Yes, a treatise
> does need to be current as of its publishing cut off date but,
> no matter when that is, there is always a lag and other
> search tools need to be used to find the most current
> materials. And, when one needs to search out 3-6 months
> to catch current developments, it really doesn't take that
> much longer to search out the major developments of a
> whole year. In topics where change is rapid (tax, labor,
> securities), there are services and high costs and frequent
> updates are expected but most areas of law do not
> change that rapidly and every treatise does not need to
> be treated (or priced) like a service.
>
> Kathy Carlson
> Wyoming State Law Library
>
> Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 13:28:07 -0700 (MST)
> Reply-to: kclark@csn.net
> From: Kathleen Clark <kclark@csn.net>
> To: law-lib@ucdavis.edu
> Subject: Couch on Insurance 3d
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> I just received an invoice from CBC for the latest updates to the above
> title. It contains a partial revision to the looseleaf format and the
> remaining portion of the set contains a 12/95 cumulative supplement. All
> for the wonderful price of $476.15 and the revised edition is not yet
> complete.
>
>
> This seems quite steep to me; last year I might not have complained, but
> I am on an extremely tight budget this year. Any thoughts or plans on
> how you are handling this would be appreciated.
>
> Kathleen Clark Edie (kclark@csn.org)
> El Paso County Law Library
> Colorado Springs, CO 80903
> (719) 630-2880 (after 1/8/96, phone # is 719-448-7780)
> Kathy Carlson
> Wyoming State Law Library
> (307) 777-7509
> kcarlson@windy.state.wy.us
>
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